Morgan County Arrest Records

Morgan County, Tennessee, arrest records are reports maintained by law enforcement, documenting the circumstances surrounding an arrest made within a specific period. Arrests in Morgan County become necessary when a crime is committed in the presence of an officer or when there is reasonable suspicion that an individual has committed or may commit a crime. Inmates are held at the Morgan County Correctional Complex (MCCX) for initial booking and detention.

The Morgan County Sheriff's Office is responsible for generating these arrest records. An arrest typically initiates a court case, so when the charges are filed and the case goes to court, the proceedings become part of the Morgan County Court Records.

Are Arrest Records Public in Morgan County?

Morgan County arrest records are considered public information, per the Tennessee Public Records Act (Tennessee Code Ann. § 10-7-503(a)(2)(A)). This statute grants citizens the right to access state, county, and municipal public records upon request. However, specific details within an arrest record are legally protected from disclosure to safeguard personal privacy and the public interest. This includes:

• Files related to bogus handgun carry permits.
• Driver licenses issued to undercover law enforcement agents
• Crime victims' private records, like names, addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers
• Medical examiner reports, toxicological reports, or autopsy records.

Specific eligibility requirements may vary depending on the nature of the requested records. However, Tennessee citizens with valid government-issued IDs and individuals demonstrating legitimate purposes are typically granted access. Requesters may visit or contact:

Morgan County Sheriff's Office
414 Main Street, Wartburg, TN 37887
Phone: (423) 346-6262
Fax: (423) 346-3904

Morgan County Arrest Statistics

Morgan County, Tennessee, experienced a notable number of arrests, with 6,522 reported from 2013 to 2023. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Data (UCR) reports that about 77% of these arrests were for low-level, non-violent offenses, including drug possession and other minor crimes. Violent crime arrests made up a smaller portion, with the county recording nine homicide arrests during this period.

The most common crime in Morgan County is larceny/theft, which accounts for 155 arrests annually. The second most common is burglary, followed by motor vehicle theft, which is the third most common. In 2024, the Morgan County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigation Division handled 575 cases that resulted in 98 arrests, with zero homicides investigated.

Find Morgan County Arrest Records

Tennessee Department of Corrections Felony Offender Information Lookup (FOIL)

The Felony Offender Information Lookup (FOIL) maintains a statewide online tool that allows individuals to search for offenders in Tennessee state prisons. The search tool is also available on the MyTN mobile application, which provides a single point of access to a growing list of services offered by the Tennessee State Government.

When individuals access the FOIL website or download the MyTN app, they can search by name, TOMIS ID (Tennessee Offender Management Information System ID), or state ID number.

Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Inmate Locator

For county residents incarcerated in federal custody and federal inmates incarcerated in Tennessee, including those at the Morgan County Correctional Complex, individuals can use the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmate locator. Search by name or inmate registration number.

Alternatively, individuals may contact or visit:

Morgan County Correctional Complex
541 Wayne Cotton Morgan Drive
P.O. Box 2000
Wartburg, Tennessee 37887
Phone: (423) 346-1300

Morgan County Sheriff's Office Inmate Roster

The Morgan County Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate roster listing current inmates in the county jail. Individuals may refer to the Morgan County Sheriff's website to access the roster directly. This roster includes inmate names, booking dates, charges, bond amounts, and mug shots.

For additional inquiries, requesters may make in-person requests at:

Morgan County Sheriff's Office
414 Main Street, Wartburg, TN 37887
Phone: (423) 346-6262
Fax: (423) 346-3904

Morgan County Arrest Records Vs. Criminal Records

Like everywhere else in Tennessee, arrest records in Morgan County are official documents that capture the apprehension of an individual suspected of committing a crime. As such, they include details like the arrestee's name, date, time, location of arrest, alleged offense, and detention facility. Importantly, arrest records do not indicate guilt or subsequent outcomes, as charges may be dropped, such persons may be acquitted, or never formally charged at all.

Morgan County Criminal records, on the other hand, encompass court proceedings and are maintained by the Morgan County Circuit Court Clerk. They go beyond arrests to include all legal proceedings: charges filed, case dispositions (whether dismissed, acquitted, or convicted), sentencing, and probation or parole details. Unlike arrest records, criminal records may reflect multiple jurisdictions and all outcomes, making them the primary source for confirming convictions and sentencing history in Morgan County and across Tennessee.

How Long Do Arrests Stay on Your Record?

Arrest records persist in Morgan County court records except when expunged. To be eligible for expungement, the following requirements must be fulfilled:

• Charges must have been dismissed (nolle prosequi), acquittals, or arrests with no charges.
• If convicted, eligibility depends on the type of offense (e.g., a misdemeanor), the minimum waiting period (5 or 10 years from sentence completion), and compliance with all sentencing terms.
• Must petition locally and wait for the TBI certificate and court order.

Morgan County Arrest Warrants

An arrest warrant is a formal court order allowing law enforcement to detain a specific individual. In Morgan County, it is only issued when a judge, magistrate, clerk, or District Attorney General determines probable cause based on an affidavit or testimony indicating that the person has committed or is in the process of committing a crime.

A standard arrest warrant will include:

• The name (or clear description) of the person to be arrested
• Their address or identifying details such as race, sex, age
• The criminal charges being brought
• A directive for officers to arrest the person and bring them before the issuing court promptly
• The name of the court and its legal jurisdiction
• The date of issuance and the official warrant or docket number
• The signature of the judge or magistrate authority

Once issued, the warrant grants law enforcement the power to arrest the named person anywhere within the state where the court holds authority.

Do Morgan County Arrest Warrants Expire?

Under Tennessee Code § 40-6-206, any misdemeanor or felony warrant that has not been served, returned, or quashed within five years from the day of issuance is automatically terminated and erased from court records. Despite this, the court may issue another warrant afterward, meaning the lapse of one warrant doesn't eliminate the ability to arrest the person later. Also, there's a related 10-day rule whereby warrants should generally be executed within 10 days; if not, they may lapse. But that doesn't mean a new one can be issued.

Expunge Morgan County Arrest Records

In Morgan County, arrest record expungement is a legal procedure that removes these records from public accessibility. Rather than being permanently erased, the records are kept from public viewing. So, for a conviction to be set aside, the following conditions must be present:

• The waiting period required has elapsed.
• No criminal charges are pending in the state police database against the applicant.
• The applicant has not been convicted of any criminal offense recorded and maintained in the Department of State Police database during the applicable period.

Eligible individuals typically need to complete the following to expunge arrest records:

• Gather necessary case information (such as docket number and offense details)
• Submit a petition to the presiding court for expungement.
• Specify the charges eligible for expungement and submit the documentation to the criminal court clerk.
• Provide a self-addressed stamped envelope for each charge being expunged so that copies of the expungement documents can be received.
• Request certified copies of the expungement order and the charging document from the criminal court clerk, which will be mailed in the provided envelopes.